Rationale: To be able to read and decode words
from
decodable texts, and other books, is what children need to know how to
do. A child has to begin reading decodable texts, to help them to
decode words, and doing this will help them to gain fluency as they
read
these texts. This lesson is designed solely for this
purpose.
To begin having students reading decodable texts, will not only help to
improve their fluency but their writing ability as well. This
lesson
also gives guidance with having children write, or create, their own
short
stories.

Procedures: 1. Introduce lesson by taking class
to the library. Have children check out a book that interests
them.
But they must run the book by the teacher first, which the teacher
should
make sure the book is on the child’s instructional reading level.
2. Once the class comes back from the library, have DEAR time (Drop
Everything And Read). Let students read their library books for
30
minutes. NOW, CLASS WE ARE GOING TO READ OUR LIBRARY BOOKS, BUT
WE
ARE GOING TO READ THEM SILENTLY. DO YOU KNOW HOW TO READ
SILENTLY?
WELL, TO READ SILENTLY, WE READ QUIETLY AND TO OURSELVES, NOT
DISTURBING
OTHERS AROUND US. THE IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER ABOUT READING
SILENTLY
IS THAT WE CAN ALL READ ON OUR PACE. YOU CAN READ AS MUCH AS YOU
WANT TO WITHIN THE 30 MINUTES THAT I AM GIVING YOU TO READ.
3. After the 30 minutes are over, have students write a short story
including the main character from their book. BOYS AND GIRLS, WE
ARE GOING TO WRITE A SHORT STORY, USING THE MAIN CHARACTER FROM THE
BOOKS
WE JUST READ. I DO NOT WANT YOU TO SUMMARIZE WHAT YOU JUST READ,
BUT MAKE UP A STORY WITH THE MAIN CHARACTER FROM YOUR LIBRARY BOOK.
4. After everyone has completed writing their short stories, divide
the students into groups of 4. In the groups, tell the students
that
you want each one to read their story to their group, and then
afterwards,
the group needs to decide on one story they want to present to the
class.
5. Teach a minilesson on a new correspondence, such as “-ought” makes
the sound /ot/. Introduce new words, such as “thought, bought,
sought”
and model to students on the board, using cover-ups to help them with
this
process.
6. Have students choose a decodable book from the classroom library
set, and tell the student that you want to see how much each student
can
read in a minute. The teacher needs to have a stopwatch and time
to children, to test their fluency. Do this 2 to 3 more times, to
increase each child’s fluency level.
7. FOR ANOTHER 30 MINUTES CLASS, WE ARE GOING TO READ SILENTLY
AGAIN.
PULL OUT YOU LIBRARY BOOKS THAT YOU WERE READING EARLIER AND CONTINUE
TO
READ THEM. IF YOU READ THROUGH THEM BEFORE, THEN READ THEM AGAIN.
8. For Assessment, have students come to the teacher’s desk
individually,
and read a section from their library books. They should be able
to read the section well, because they have read it before, and this
should
have aided in their fluency and comprehension.